By Harun Nasrullah
London (The Muslim News): Israeli warplanes targeted a residential apartment in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Tuesday evening, according to Lebanese media. The state news agency, NNA, reported a “violent” airstrike near al-Zahraa Hospital in the al-Jnah neighbourhood. Thick plumes of smoke were seen rising from the area as ambulances rushed to the scene. No information has yet been released about casualties or the intended target of the strike.
Since September 23, Israel has launched extensive airstrikes against what it identifies as Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, resulting in over 1,057 deaths and injuring more than 2,950 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Several Hezbollah [Hizbullah] commanders, including its leader Hassan Nasrallah, have been killed in the assaults.
The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that it has initiated “limited and targeted” ground operations in southern Lebanon, though these actions have been widely interpreted as a broader incursion.
Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in fierce cross-border warfare since Israel’s military offensive on Gaza, which has resulted in over 41,600 deaths, most of whom are women and children, following a Hamas-led attack on Israel in October last year.
Former Labour Party leader and current Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn expressed his dismay at the situation, labelling Israel’s entry into Lebanon as an “invasion.” He criticised the UK government’s response, stating, “Israel’s decision to send troops into Lebanon, a sovereign nation, is not a ‘limited ground operation.’ It is an invasion. Our government’s hypocrisy is on full display. Its failure to defend international law and stand up to Israel is a moral disgrace.”
The international community has expressed grave concerns that Israeli operations in Lebanon could escalate the Gaza conflict into a wider regional war. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati warned that his country is facing “one of the most dangerous phases of its history.”
Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza has continued to deteriorate. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the death toll in the Gaza Strip has now risen to 41,638, the majority of whom are women and children since October 7. The latest Israeli airstrikes claimed 23 more lives on Tuesday, including 11 displaced people in a shelter, two residents in a house within the Nuseirat refugee camp, seven people in a tent, and six in a car west of Khan Younis, as well as three more in Musabbeh, north of Rafah.
The Palestinian Civil Defence reported that in the past 24 hours alone, Israeli forces killed 23 people and injured 101 others in what they described as four “massacres” targeting families. The ministry also noted that many civilians remain trapped under rubble, with rescuers unable to reach them due to the ongoing bombardments.
Despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, Israel continues its offensive in Gaza. Its indiscriminate bombings have resulted in over 96,460 Palestinians being injured, with the number continuing to rise amid relentless airstrikes and ground operations.
The continued airstrikes on both Lebanon and Gaza and the subsequent loss of civilian lives have raised fears of further destabilisation in the region. The world watches closely as diplomatic efforts attempt to avert a broader regional war, but the situation remains deeply volatile.
[Photo: Smoke rises from the buildings hit by Israeli airforce near Al-Zahra Hospital in Bir Hasan area of Beirut, Lebanon on 01 10, 2024.
Photojournalist: Houssam Shbaro/ AA]
